Ironing table



Oct. 10, 1950 K. B. OLANDER 2,524,923

momma TABLE Filed Aug. 18, 1945 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. KEMUEL B. OLANDER ATTORNEY Oct. 10, 1950 K. B. OLANDER 2,524,923

momma mm Filed Aug. 18, 1945 s Sheds-Sheet 2 FIG. 4

' INVENTOR.

KEMUEL B. OLANDER ATT RNEY Oct. 10, 1950 K. B. OLANDER 2,524,923

IRoNiNc. TABLE Filed Aug. 18, 1945 6 Sheet's-Sheet 3 29 INVENTOR.

KEMUEL B. OLANDER Oct. 10, 1950 K. B. OLANDER 2,524,923

IRONING TABLE Filed Aug. 18, 1945 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIG. I4

FIG. |9

INVENTOR. I49 KEMUEL B. OLANDER I. 11 BY 3 my KW 4 l42 m ATTORNEY O 1950 K. B. OLANDER 2,524,923

IRONING TABLE Filed Aug. 18, 1945 2 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIG. l6

' INVENTOR. KEMUEL B. OLANDER TTORNEY Oct. 10, 1950 K. B. OLANDER 2,524,923

IRONING TABLE Filed Aug. 18, 1945 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 FIG.2O

I I" I INVENTOR.

KEMUEL B. OLANDER ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 10, 1950 UNITED? STATES rgsur" orrics Kemuel B. Olander, Minneapolis; Minn.

Application August 18, 1945, Serial No. 611,315

13 Claims. 1

My invention relates to ironing tables having a leg supporting structure adapted to fold forward tobe brought in folded position against the under surface of theironing table top, and has for its object to provide means for latching the legs in fixed relation to the ironing table top when they are opened up in supporting position and the ironing tableis supported thereby for operation, said latching means being so arranged and constructed as-to be operable for release of the supporting leg, structure from either end of the ironing table.

Ironing tables as now-manufactured and sold customarily may comprise a pairof pivoted rear legs and. a front leg member connected together sothey may fold -in' unison; This connection usually consists of :a pair of rods pivoted at their rear ends to intermediate portions of the rear legs and. at their front ends to the lower part of thefront legimember, and'a pair of brace rods, usually pivoted to the rear members at the same point where the..first-named rods are pivoted and connected at their front endsto a slide" member which is adapted to move along a guide member secured tootherunder'side of the ironing table top. Whenythisleg. structure is released J the entire assemblage swings 'forwardly'upon the legpivots "under theironing tabletop, the slide member movingforwardly so the ironing table top is thereby caused-to swing downwardly until the leg structure. extends beyondthe front end of the top and side, which is the folded and inoperative positionzof theironing table.

In this; formof 3 ironing table the legs. are locked intheir table+supporting position by some sort of means which usually holds the slide member against forward movement, and this locking operation and particularly its 'releaseandxthe folding up. of the ironing table hastalways given a considerable :degree 'of trouble. In practice heretoforethe release of theglocking means has been effected-by operating the releasing means in some manner from. therear of the ironing table, and after such release theironing table top'is pulled backwardly :uponlthe. rear legs and drops down forwardlyuponr'theLfolded legs, the whole operation being generally more or less unsatisfactory because -;the,table top goes down with considerable forcelandthe ,effectand inconvenienceof operating it in that manner is reflected also in the strains inflicted upon the ironing table top by the-contactof its endin dropping down on the floor.

Eiiortsheretofore made to conveniently release the looking I means and? give satisfactory.=.=resu1tsi,1

. 2" in'foldin'gthe legs of the ironing table have been all directed to releasing the locking means at one end and only one end of the ironing table and have been principally directed to releasing the locking means from the'rear end of the ironing table. folding the leg structure of the ironing table have been considered impractical to accomplish otherwise than from the rear end of the ironing table. Effecting unlocking from the front end is particularly advantageous when, as is the common practice; the woman who is using theironingtable wishes to store itafter folding it with the broad rear endcontacting the floor, so it will stand steadily against a wall, although releasing from the rear end may be advantageous where it is desired to hang the ironing table from a support in storing. My invention enables the user, usually'a woman with relatively limited physical strength, to unlatch and fold the'leg structure with one singleapplication of force at either end of the ironing table.

I have discovered that a very simple latching means may be provided embodying a swinging latch member which snaps into position and holds the legs firmly locked in their open and table-supporting position when the'board is in use, and that, in combination with means extending to the rear of the ironing table for swinging the hook member to release the slide from the rear'end, the same identical hook member may be associated with a pull member, for pulling the slide forward from the front of the ironing table, which is adapted to engage cooperating means on the hook member such that the pull on the pull member will swing the hook member to unlatch the slide and the pull member may then transmit the necessary force to the slide to cause it to-move forward to bring the leg members into their folded position.

I have-discovered further that this arrangement, including a catch member engageable with a cam surface on the hook member to shift it so the hook will come into locking engagement with the catch member may be worked out by relative movement of the hook'and the catch member, in

g which the hook may be fixedly pivoted to the underside of the board and the catch member move with the S1id,'01 this arrangement may be reversed and the catch be fixedly attached to the under surface of the board and the hook .Sid Qfhc ironing table top or on a pivot on-the Release of the locking means and slide cooperating with a catch on the slide when it is pivoted to the ironing table top, or with a catch on the table top when it is pivoted to the slide, and that in any such case a manually operated pull member for exerting force to move the slide toward folding position of the leg structure may have a part thereon engageable with a part on the hook member when it is in locking position, whereby the mere exertion of force to pull out toward the front of the board on the slide will automatically unlock and release the hook member, thus permitting the leg structure t be folded from the front of the ironing board.

I also discovered that means extending to a point close to the rear end of the ironing table top on the under side thereof may be positioned and formed so that pulling on such means will swing the hook into unlocking position whether it is mounted on a fixed pivot on the under side of the ironing table top, or is pivoted on the slide member, and the mere exertion of pulling force on said means will first unlatch the hook and then pull the table into folding position.

It is a principal object of my invention, therefore, to provide an ironing table having a folding leg structure for supporting it in conjunction with a slide member connected with the leg structure, and with a single locking member and a latch member relatively movable one to the other for holding the leg structure locked in board-supporting position, in conjunction with means operable upon the single locking member both at the front and at the rear of the ironing table top to release the latch and complete the folding operation with one single effort.

It is a further object of my invention to pivot the locking member directly upon the under side of the ironing table top and to provide said locking member with a hook portion having an outer sloping or bevelled face in the path of relative movement thereof of a catch, so when said relative movement causes the catch to engage the bevelled face it will swing the locking member on its pivot so the hook portion thereof will snap over it locking the legs firmly in position.

It is a further object of my invention to pivot on the slide member which controls the opening and closing of the leg structure a pull lever having 9, cam-lik portion adapted to engage against the bevelled face of the locking member when the slide is in its locking position, said pull lever being toward the-front of the ironing table top and shaped and positioned so it will be swung on its pivot when force is applied to it to move the slide, and a part on the lever and a part on the locking member will thereby be caused to engage to move the locking member out of locking position and thus to release the slide.

It is a further object of my invention to sup port on said slide so as to swing in a horizontal plane on a vertical pivot a swinging lever having a cam-like point adapted to engage against the bevelled face of a hook member when the slide is in its locking position, said swinging lever' being at the front end of the board and being so positioned relative to the hook that, by exerting force upon the outer endof the lever, the lever will first be swung to engage the hook and release it from its catch and then the slide and the parts connected with it will be drawn toward the front of the board to effect locking of the leg structure.

It is a further object of my invention to form on the hook, whether pivoted directly to the under surface of the ironing table or pivoted t e slide, an outwardly extending lip having an angularly disposed cam surface at one edge thereof, and to provide means to be engaged by the hook or look the slide, and to mount on the slide a swinging pull member which extends substantially at right angles downward when the slide and legs are locked, so when force is applied to the pull member it will first swing it on its pivot causing it to engage the cam surface of the hook to move the hook and disengage it from its locking position and then will pull the hook and parts connected therewith forwardly to bring the supporting leg structure to its folded position.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a hook member pivoted to move in a horizontal plane on the slide, and to provide a latch bar fixed on the under side of the ironing table top to be engaged by the hook and lock the parts in fixed table-supporting position, and, mounted to swing on a horizontal pivot on the slide, to provide a pull member having a part thereon engageable with a part on the hook member such that when force is applied to the pull member it will first swing the same and by engagement with the part on the hook will swing the hook from latching engagement with the latch bar and then will move the slide and the leg structure connected therewith toward the forward end of the ironing table into folded position.

It is a further object of my invention, with the structure first recited, to pivot a cam member upon the under side of the ironing table top having a portion engageable with a part on the hook member when the slide is in rearward locking position, and to provide a pull arm extending to the rear of the ironing table, whereby when force is applied to the pull arm it will swing the cam member against a part on the hook and cause disengagement of the hook from its latching member.

It is a further object of my invention to mount upon the slide a hook pivoted to swing in a horizontal plane having a sloping face and to fix relative to the under side of the ironing table a latching bar to be engaged by the said sloping face of the hook and to be snapped by a spring over the bar to lock the parts in leg supporting position, and to form an offset arm on the hook having a pull member thereon such that when force is applied to it to move the slide it will first rock the hook member to unlatch the same and then will cause the slide and the parts connected with it to be drawn to the front of the board to effect folding of the leg structure.

This application is a continuation in part of my application, Serial No. 557,474, filed October 6, 1944, and now abandoned.

The full objects and advantages of my invention will appear in the detailed description given in the following specification and the novel features of the invention by which the aforementioned advantageous results are secured will be particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings illustrating applications of my invention in some of its forms:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation view of an ironing table top having means applied thereto for effecting the folding of the leg structure either from the front or from the rear of the ironing table. showing in dotted lines the manner of folding the same from the rear.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation view of the same ironing table shown in Fig. 1, indicating the manner in which the ironing table will have its leg magma;

structure" folded operating. from the front .of they:

ironing table.

Fig: 3 is an end elevation view of thereof.

Fig. 4 is anunder-side plan view of theboard shown in Fig. 1.

V the ironing. table shown in Fig. I viewed fromthe front-- Fig. 5 is'anzenlarged undereside view of the hook mechanism with the 'hook in latching position.

Fig. 6 is a similar view showing'a modified form of guide for the-slide.

Fig. '7 is an enlarged sectional view showing thepull member onthe slide in engagement with the cam edge on the hook as force is applied to the same by the hand;

Fig. 8 is a viewsimilar to Fig. .7 whereinthe force of the pull member has swung it down upon the cam face and has caused-the hook to move into unlatching position.

Fig. 9 is a side elevation view of an ironing table with the leg structure in fully opened and locked open position.

Fig. 10 is an enlarged edge view of part of the board-construction alone as shown in Fig. 9.

Fig. 11 is an enlarged sectional view illustrating the mounting of the spring for engaging the pull arm to force the hook into locking position.

Fig. v12 is a transverse sectional viewshowing a modified rectangular slide for support of the upper ends of the brace rods, as shown 'in Fig. 7.

Fig. 13 is a sectional viewtaken on line [3-13 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 14 is a side elevation view of an ironing table in leg-supported position, .wherein another form of releasing the hook by operation of the pull member at the front is embodied.

Fig.15is a sectional view on an enlarged scale taken'through a part of the ironing table top of Fig. 14, and viewed from the opposite side of the view in Fig. 1.

Fig. 16 is a plan view of the under side of the ironing table top on a somewhat enlarged scale showing the parts approaching the latching position.

Fig. 17 is a view of a part of the under side of the ironing table topsimilar to the showing in Fig. 16 withthe hook in looking position over the catch bar.

Fig. 18-is a detailedfragmentary view of the front end of theironing board forming the ironing table topviewed from the underside .to illustrate a snap catch for holding the front end of the ironing tablein closed position."

Fig. 19 is an underside plan view of a form'- of my invention'wherein the hook is'mounted on the slide.

Fig. 19A is a fragmentary plan view taken on the under side of the ironing table which shows.

a hook attached tothe slide as in Fig; l9. operated by a swinging lever, asin Fig. 17..

Fig. 20 is anedge view of the parts sho'wnain.. Fig. 19 viewed from the right tsideuthereof, as

shown.

Fig. 21 is a sectional view onan enlargedscale taken on line 2l-2l of Fig. 19.f

Fig. 22 is .a similartransversex: sectional view taken on line 22-142 of Fig.19.

Fig; 23 is a sideielevation viewof: a formof my invention having the hook onv the slide which diifers somewhatfrom that shown in.Figs.'19+22.i'

Fig. 24 shows a plan view of'the same taken on the under side of the ironing table.

Fig. 25 shows .a fragmentary transverse-Lview of a vertically mounted modified :means 1 for-:re-

6 -z' leasingthe hook from the, rear of the ironing board of the type shown in Figs. 23 and 24.

Fig. 26 is a fragmentary-detailed plan view of the parts shown in Fig.25.

Fig. 27 is a fragmentary longitudinal side ele-- vationview of those parts shown in Fig. 26.

As illustrated in Figs. 1-13 inclusive, an ironing table top 28 has a pair of rear legs 29 and 30, Figs. 3 and 13, which are pivoted at 3! and 32 to a transverse frame piece 33 secured to the under side and adjacent the rear end of the ironing tabletop 28. tabla-top a front leg structure is pivotally connected with the under side thereof. This front leg structure includes a pair of leg bars 34 and 35 which are pivoted at their upper ends at 3B and 31 to a bracket on the under side of the ironing table, indicated at 38.

The .front endsnof'the leg rods 34 and 35 are curedtothe rear legs 28 and 29 by being pivoted thereto at central points in the lengths of said legs-indicated.at. 42 and 43, and the two rods are joined with-the foot-39 atthe point indicated at 44.

This structure would not be effective for a complete supporting means," since it could auto-' matically collapse. Hence a feature of the supporting means of this type of ironing table is a pair of brace rods and 46 and a locking slide. These brace rods Figs. 3 and 9, are pivoted at their lower extremities to the same pivots 42 and 43= t0 which the leg-connecting rods diland 4| are respectively pivoted. The front ends of the brace rods 45 and 46are pivotally secured, as indicated at 41, to the slide 48, which is mounted to move forwardly along the under side and along thecenterof the ironing table top on a guide member indicated at 49.

The brace rods 45 and 46 come between the front leg members 34 and 35, Fig. 12, and when the slide is locked on.its guide so it can not .move along the guide the entire leg structure is held in fixed locked position for supporting th ironing. table top in use.

The particular means for anoperator to unlatch or release the slide to permit folding of the .table easily and conveniently constitutes the substance of my invention.

It must be remembered that ironing tables of the :type herein. specified are for use in homes and are handledbothin setting up and in taking down,.almost texclusively bywomen. The entire ironing table structure, evenwhen made of wood, is fairly heavy, and when made with a steel top and all ,steel supporting means that weight is substantially .increased. The means herein described and shown-constitutes a simple and effectiv.e arrangement for easy release-of the slide to permit and effect the folding up of the legs of an ironingtablewithout danger'of noisy and shatteringcollapse or of injury either to the operator or .to theaironing table.

At; about the middle of the ironing They can, therefore, swing Referring still to the construction shown in Figs. 1-13 inclusive, the slide 48 may be mounted to move along a guideway, enveloped by some part of the slide, which, as shown in Figs. 4, and 9, is held spaced from the under side of the board by blocks 50 and 5!. Or the guide may be a rectangular bar 52, as shown in Figs. 7, 8, and 12, similarly held; or it may be a round bar 53 as shown in Fig. 6.

Whichever forms of the slide and guideway, upon which the slide moves longitudinally of the board, may be employed, it will be obvious that the legs can not be moved to be folded against the top excepting when the slide moves along the guideway, and hence that looking the slide in the leg-open position locks the legs in their topsupporting position.

This locking, in any of the forms shown, takes place automatically by merely opening up the leg structure into supporting position. The great difficulty, with which my invention is primarily concerned, is how to effect easy and convenient unlocking of these members and safe and easy folding of the legs, and this involves, as presented herein, both the construction of the looking means, of the means to unlock it, and of the means thereafter for effecting folding of the legs.

Further, such unlocking means, to get the results desired, should be operable either from the rear or from the front of the ironing table top.

As clearly shown in Figs. 4, 5, 6 and 12, the locking element comprises a hook member having a body portion 54 preferably with a curved part 55, as shown in Fig. 10, which is pivotally secured through a block 56 to the under side of the table top 28 and adapted to oscillate about its securing pivot 51. The pivot pin 51 is fast on the under side of the top and goes through an arm 58 which extends at right angles for a sufiicient distance from the body part 54 of the hook.

The hook head 59 is provided with a rightangled straight face 60, which is adapted to come over a catch or latch 6| which is formed on and is a part of the slide 48. The hook head 59 is also provided with a contact edge 62 which extends at an oblique angle across the path of movement of the part 6| so that when it engages the oblique edge 62 it will swing the hook on its pivot 51 until it passes the latch 6| to permit the right-angled face 60 of the hook head 59 to snap over and engage the latch.

A rear pull rod 63 extends through the bar 33, Fig. 13, and is connected with the hook body 54, as indicated at 64, at a point removed laterally a considerable distance from the pivot point 5? on the hook arm 58. A compression spring 65 between the web of frame piece 33 and a collar 65 on the pull rod 63, Fig. 4, exerts pres sure through rod 63 to swing the hook head 59 into its locking position, as shown in Fig. 4.

The pull rod 63 after it passes through the web of frame piece 33 is turned back on itself at 67 and forms a backward extension 68 which goes through the web of frame piece 33, and a collar 69 on said backward extension engages the web and restrains the spring 65 from forcing the hook beyond that position, Fig. 4. The loop 6'! comes close to the rear edge of the ironing table and is spaced from its under surface, as shown in Fig. 9.

To release the ironing table from the rear the loop 6'! is pulled rearwardly. This will swing the hook from looking position and allow the board to pivot on the rear legs 29 and 30, and at the same time the rearward pull on the board will swing it upon its rear legs, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1. The front end of the ironing table will then swing downwardly and the rear legs will fold under the top as it drops, which effects a complete folding. The ironing table can then be hung up by the loop 61, and this method of folding will be used when, in storing the ironing table, it is hung from a support rather than rested upon the floor.

In performing the folding operation as shown in Fig. 1, one hand is applied to the rear of the table to steady the same and the other hand is used to grasp the loop 61 and exert a rearward pulling action thereon, as the front leg struc ture swings upwardly the forward end of the table drops, as shown by the arrow, The table is then stood on its forward end to complete the folding of the rear legs. The normal resistance of the joints prevents the folding action from being sudden.

A means of folding the leg structure from the front of the ironing table, to eliminate the action of gravity in the folding operation, has been recognized as desirable, but heretofore has not been satisfactorily accomplished. My discovery does it, practically and efiiciently, by a single and continuous pull on the pull member, which both unlocks the slide and swings the table legs to their folded position.

This means is well shown in Figs. 4-11 inclusive, and is shown somewhat in detail in Figs. 4, 5, 6, '7 and 8. As there shown, a pull member 10 is formed with a looped finger hold H which has a part 72 adapted to engage a sloping edge 13 on an upstanding lip 14 on slide member 48 when said slide member is in looking position.

As clearly shown in Figs. '7 and 9, in its initial position the pull member 10 will extend substantially at right angles to the under surface of the board. This member is, however, pivoted at 15 to the same member 6| upon which are pivoted the brace rods and 46. Hence, when the loop I! of the pull member has force applied to it by the hand or finger of the operator, it will first rock it on that pivot to the position shown in Fig. 10, and in doing that it will have a thrust engagement upon the upper oblique edge 13 of the upstanding lip 14. This by cam action will cause the hook member 54 to swing on its pivot 51 so as to cause the hook to swing laterally and bring the hook face out of engagement with the latch 6|. This releases the slide, and continuing force applied to the pull member will move the slide along one or the other of guideways 49, 52 or 53, with the result that the ironing table legs are folded together upon the under side of the top.

This operation is performed against the force of gravity and without slamming or falling, as clearly indicated in Fig. 2. In folding the leg structure in this manner the rear end of the ironing table, indicated at T6, is placed upon the floor with the ironing table in effect tipped up on the rear edge. With a hand 17 pulling on the loop of the pull member 70, as shown in Fig. 2, and another hand 78 holding the top end of the board, the slide will be drawn up along its guide- Way toward the front of the board, the parts folding together, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2.

Thus the entire assemblage of supporting leg structure will be lifted and swung inwardly and in effect caused to engage the under side of the ironing table top', in this manner folding the leg structure so as to permit the entire folded ironing table to be taken to any desired place of deposit or storage.

With this arrangement, as shown in Figs; l-13 inclusive, the ironing table may have its slide unlatched from the rear to collapse by gravity downwardly toward its front end or may have the slide released and drawn upwardly along the under side of the ironing tabletop to bring the leg structure into folded position upon theunder side of the table top without slamming or liability of injury either to the operator or to the ironing table.

A second form of pull memberreleaseis shown in Figs. 14-18 inclusive, and this is identically the same as the structure shown in my application Ser. No. 557,474, of which this application is a continuation in part.

In this form of the invention the ironing table top 28, the rear'legs 29 and 36, and theleg con necting rods 4E and 4|, Which'are pivoted at 42, are substantially the same as in the structure heretofore described, excepting that the leg connecting members 50 and M do not go to a foot at the bottom of the front leg, but are carried into a" notch 80, Fig. 14, toward the bottom of the front leg member M.

This front leg member, as shown in Fig. 14., is a single wooden member pivotally secured between bracket ears 82 and 83 fast on the under side of the ironing table top 28, and the brace rods 84 and 85 secured to slide 85* are also shown formed of wood and are pivoted to the rear legs 29 and til onthe insides of said legs at the point a point 96 where a pull rod 9! which has a finger loop 92, is connected to the hook member. The pull rod passes through a frame-piece 95 and the loop portion 92, Fig. 16, is close to the rear end of the ironing table top where it may be conveniently grasped to rock the hook member to take its contacting face from the latch 81 and to permit the legs to fold from release at the back of the ironing table in the same manner indicated in Fig. 1.

For releasing the hook from the front of theironing table a pull member comprises a body -94 which is secured by a vertical pivot 95 to the slide 85 so as to swing in a horizontal plane. A finger loop 91 is swingably supported by ears 98 and 99- on the pull member body 94.

In front of the pivot 95 the body 94 comesto a point at IOU with curved side edges IIl I' and N12. The point I80 as shown in Fig. 16, comes slightly inside of the oblique wall 59 on the hookll so when the parts are brought into their open position the pointIIlll will engage the sloping wall' 59 and swing the body 9 on its vertical pivot into the position shown in Fig. 17. e r

A spring I03, Fig. 15, is connected to the hook body 5 and the table top 28 and normally tends to hold the parts in the position of Fig. 1'7. The end its of the loop member s2contactsthe side of the transverse frame pieceQB-fand prevents the member 5 will swing the same out of engagement with latch 87. The continued pulling on body 95 will move the slide 86 upwardly along the guideway 88 toward the front of the ironing table and at the sametime'through the brace rods 84 and connected with the slide and with the legs will swing the entire folding leg structure toward and then upon the under side of the ironing table top, as clearly indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2.

A spring catch I85, Fig. 18, may besecured to the under side of the forward part of the table top.

28, and'the obliquely disposed arm iiitthereof will be engaged by the leg member SI and will bring the latch portion IQ? of thespring catch I55 over the leg 8] to hold it in closed position on the under side of the ironing table top; Release of this leg structure is readily effected by the hand grasping the end of the obliquely disposed catch portion IIJ6.

Another form of effecting release of the locking member to fold the ironing table legs from the front of the ironing table top is shown in Figs; 19-22 inclusive. In this form a slide I08 is mounted to move along a fiat and rather wide guide bar 159. This bar, as shown in Fig. 20, is bent at I Ill-where it is secured to the under side of the front end of the ironing table top. It is also bent at I ll' where it is again secured to the ironing table top leaving a space I I2 beneath it and the under side face of the top along which the guide members 3 are mounted for longitudinal movement.

As indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 19, the brace rods 84 and 85 are pivotally connected to downwardly turned ears I'M and H5 one of which is seen in Fig. 20. These ears are slightly flaring and the pivots thereto of the brace rods are indicated at II6.

In this form a hook member I I! is pivoted at I I8 directly to the slide I68, and is held to move into position to snap over a latch H9 which is secured to an extension I20 of the guide bar I09, as clearly indicated in Fig. 20. A spring I 2I wraps around the pivot member I It and has an end portion I22 that takes over an edge of the ear member H4 and another end portion l23 which takes over the edge I24 of the end of the hook member I I1, thus wedging the hook member into position 'to engage over the latch II 9.

' A finger-hold pull member I25 is secured to a lateral extension I26 of the hook member II'I and-thus is substantially offset from'the pivot point IIB thereof.

It follows thatwhenforce is applied from the hand of an operator to the member I25 the first effect will beto rock the hook member I I'I upon its pivot II8 to cause they latch-engaging face I21 of the hook member to be pulled from the latch II 9. Following that action continued forward pull on the finger-hold I25 will move the slide along the front of the board up the board has an 'arm' I39 havingthereorran outwardlyextending toe I3I which engages an oblique edge I32 on the hook head I33 of the hook member In. Member I28 has a second arm I34 which extends a substantial distance from the pivot I29 to which is connected a pull rod I35 having a hand-hold ring I36 at its end adjacent the rear edge of the ironing table top.

It follows that when force is applied by the hand upon ring I36 and pull rod I35 the member I28 is rocked on its pivot I29 and the contact of toe member I3I upon the oblique edge I32 of hook head I33 will rock the hook member upon its pivot II8 to bring its face I21 out of engagement with the latch H9 and permit the ironing table leg structure to be folded in the manner indicated in Fig. ll Another form of the invention is shown in Figs. 23, 24. As there shown a slide I3'I movable along a broad guide bar I38, is formed with a pair of upstanding ear members I39 and I40 between which is mounted upon a horizontal pivot I4! a hook member I42 which is adapted to swing in a vertical plane about the horizontal pivot I 4|.

A latch I43 is formed as a part of a plate I44 which is secured by rivet or bolt I45 which at the same time secures the end portion I43 of the guide I38 to the under side of the table top 28.

Upon a stand I4'I secured to the under side of the table top is formed a rocking member I 48 pivoted at I49 between ears I50 and I 5| on the stand I41. The rocking member I48 is provided with a toe I52 which engages the sloping surface I60 of the hook head I53. The pull rod I35 having thereon the finger-hold ring I36 is pivotally connected at I54 with an upstanding part I55 of the rocking lever I 48. By pulling backward on the rod I35 the rocking lever I48 is rocked and will thereby in that manner disengage the hook I42 from engagement with the latch I43 and release the slide from the rear of the ironing table to permit it to fold up by gravity, as indicated in Fig. 1.

Another means of releasing the hook structure shown in Figs. 22 and 23 is shown in Figs. 25, 26 and 27. In this form a lever I50 is mounted to rock about a vertical pivot I 51 in a horizontal plane. The pull rod I35 is connected to the long arm of lever I 56 which has on its shorter arm I58 a cam plate I59 which engages the sloping face I60 of the toe I53 of hook member I42 with a cam action. When, therefore, the lever I56 is rocked by means of force applied to the pull rod I35 the cam plate I59 comes over the upwardly turned sloping face I60 of the hook head I53 and by a sliding cam action depresses the same off of the latch I43, thus releasing the slide I3'I from the rear of the ironing table and permitting the leg structure to fold upon its under side, in the manner indicated in Fig. 1.

In the modification shown in Fig.- 19A the parts are generally the same as the similar parts in Fig. 19, except that a difierent type of hook here shown as IEiI is employed which is pivoted to slide I08 at H8 and is moved by the spring I2I to come into engagement with the latch H9, all as shown. The hook has the sloping front face I32 and is operated from the rear by the rocking member I28 pivoted at I29 and moved by a pull arm I35 so that the .upstanding cam piece I3I will engage the sloping edge I32 of the hook head I33 and move it from engagement withthe latch II9 when force is applied to the pull arm I35 from the rear of the ironing table.

. In this form the hook IBI has thereon an outwardly extended pin I62 which when in locked position, as shown, is engaged by the surface of 12 toe member I00 on the rocking lever 94 pivoted at 95 to the slide I08. The lever member 94 is in all respects the same in this form of the invention as shown in Fig. 17, and embodies a pull loop 91 which is pivotally connected to ears 98 and 99 fast on the lever member 94.

It will be understood that the pivot member 95 is made long enough with an underlying block, not shown, so that lever 94 is mounted for horizontal movements not only abovehook member I6I but also above the flange member I I5, shown mostly in dotted lines in Fig. 19A.

The operation of this form of the invention will readily be understood. Both the hook I6I and the swinging lever 94 are as in Figs. 16 and 17, and the lever 94 has its short arm engageable with the pin I62 on hook I6I applied to the loop. It has the effect of first swinging the hook from engagement with the latch H9 and then will pull the slide upwardly and fold the legs exactly the same as in Figs. 1 and 16.

The advantages .of my invention will be apparent from the foregoing description, providing convenient and efiective means for shifting the hook to release the slide from the rear of the ironing table, and convenient and easy-operating means for enabling the ironing table to be folded from its front. In all of the forms here shown this is done by simply exerting force upon a pull member which is thereby first caused to rock on its pivot and in rocking engage some part on the hook member and cause it to be withdrawn from the latch to release the slide, and such that continued force thereafter applied to the pull member will draw the slide forward along the ironing table top and cause the leg structure to fold against that top.

I claim:

1. An ironing table embodying a top, front and rear leg units pivotally carried on the underside of the top and being swingable outwardly therefrom, a slide supported for longitudinal movement on the underside of the top and connected to one of said leg units, a latch member carried by the slide, a hook member pivotally supported on the underside of the top and being engageable in looking relationship with the latch memher when the leg units are in their outwardly swung position, and a manually operable disengaging member pivotally supported on the slide for disengaging said hook member from said latch member to permit folding of the leg structure.

2. In combination with an ironing table embodying a top, front and rear leg units pivotally carried on the undersideof the top and adapted to be swung to an outwardly operative position, a slide supported for longitudinal movement on the underside of the top and connected to one of said leg units, a latch member mounted on said slide, a hook-shaped member pivotally supported on the underside of the top and adapted to lockingly engage said latch member when the legs are in an outwardly swung position, and means for unlocking said members, including a first member connected to said hook-shaped member and adapted on movement to disengage said hookshaped member from said latch, and a second manually operable means pivotally supported on the slide and adapted on movement to disengage said hook-shaped member from said latch.

3. An ironing table embodying a top, spaced apart front and rear leg units pivoted to and swingable outwardly from the top, a slide supported for longitudinal movement on the underside of said top, a pair of brace rods extending amme from' the rear leg unit andpivotallyjoined at their forward ends to the slide, meansfonlocking said leg units in an open position including ahook-shaped member pivotally connected on whensaid manually operablemember ismoved -in the direction of oneend of the table.

4 An ironing table embodying atop, front and 'rear'legunits pivotally carried onthe undersideof the top and being swingable outwardly therefrom, a slide supported for-longitudinafmbve ment on'the underside of the top and connected to one of said leg units," means for locking said leg units in their extended position, including a latch membercarried by the-slide, a hook member pivotally supported on the underside of the" top and being engageable in looking relatio nship with the latch member when the leg units are in their outwardly sWun'g position, and means for unlocking said locking means including a first manually operable member connected to said hook mem- ""ber a'nd'ex'tending to the "rear'end of the top for disengaging said locking means from the rear end of the table, and a second manually operable member pivotally supported on the slide for disengaging said hook from said latch member and thereaftermoving-theslide in the direction of the front end of the table.

5; In combination with an ironing tableembodying a top, front and rear leg units pivotally carried onthe-underside-of the top and adapted to be swung to an outwardly operative position, a slide supported for longitudinal movement on the underside of the top and connected to one of said leg units, a first member mounted on said slide, a second member pivotally supported at one end on the underside of the top and having a sloping cam surface which is engageable with the first member to effect rotation of the second member into locking engagement with the first member when the legs are moved to a fully operative position, and a manually operable pull member pivotally connected to said slide and normally positioned with a cam surface juxtaposed to abut the cam surface on the second member when the pull member is rotated on its pivotal connection to disengage said second member and move the slide to one end of the table to thereby effect folding of the leg structure.

6. In combination with an ironing table embodying a top, front and rear leg units pivotally carried on the underside of the top and adapted to be swung to an outwardly operative position, a slide supported for longitudinal movement on the underside of the top and connected to one of said leg units, a hook-shaped member pivotally supported for rotative movement on the underside of the slide, a stationary latch member secured to the underside of the top and being engageable by said hook member when thelegs are moved to their operative position, and manually operable means rigidly connected to said hook member to effect rotation of said member on its pivotal mounting to disengage the same from said latch member and thereafter move said slide and said leg unit in the direction of one end of a table.

7. In combination with an ironing table embodying a top and a folding leg structure se-- -euredto the underside of thetop;- meansr 'for locking said leg structure in anopen positiom'ineluding a rigid latch member secured to 'the'underside of the top,*a slide supported'for longitudinal movement onthe underside of the top-adjacent said latch member, a hook member pivotally carried bysaidslide for engaging said latch member, spring means cooperable between said slide and-said hook member for holding the same in engagement with said latch member, and a manuallyoperable disengaging member-pivotally supported on said slide and" having a portion extending in abutting relationship with said latch and said hookshaped--member fordisengaging the hook-shaped member from the latch. 8.- In combination with an ironing table including atop, a folding leg structure pivotally supported onthe underside of thetop andadapted to be swung to an outwardly operative'position, a slide supported for longitudinal movement on the underside of the top and connected to one-of said legunits, a hook member pivotally connected to the slide to swing in a vertical plane beneath the top, a fixed latch member secured to the underside of the top and-adapted for engagement with the hook member when the leg structure is moved to an open position, and means for unlocking the leg structure including a member pivotally'supported on'the underside ofthe top and adapted to rock in a vertical plane, a

-- toe carried by said member and being=engageable with a portion" of said'hook member when said rocking member, and a rodconnected to said "armand'extending to the rear of the ironing table-tos'wing said rocking member andcause the-hook to be'releasedf-rom the latching member.

9. An ironing table embodying a top, front and rear leg units pivotally carried on the underside of the topand swingable outwardly therefrom to an open position, a guideway mounted on the underside of the top, a slide supported by the guideway and connected to one of said leg units, means for locking the leg units in an outwardly swung position, including an abutting member eX- tending in a plane transverse to the guideway, a hook-shaped member having a pivotal mounting means at one end and a sloping cam surface at the other end which is adapted to engage the abutting member to effect rotative movement of the hook-shaped member, one of said members being mounted. on the slide and the other member being mounted on the underside of the top, and manual operable means pivotally connected to the slide for movement in a plane parallel with the top, said manually operable means having a cam surface engageable with the cam surface on the hook-shaped member to disengage said hookshaped member from the abutting member.

10. An ironing table embodying a top, front and rear leg units pivotally carried on the underside of the top and swingable-outwardly therefrom to an open position, means for locking said leg units in an outwardly swung position including a slide member carried on the underside of the top and connected to one of said leg units and being movable forwardly when the legs are folded, a first latching member mounted on said slide, a second latching member mounted on the underside of the top and being engageable with the first latching member when the legs are fully opened, one of said latching members being pivotally supported for rotative movement as said members move into locking engagement, and a manually operable pull member pivotally connected to one of said members and supported by said member for movement only in a plane parallel with the top for disengaging said latching members to permit folding of the leg structure.

11. An ironing table embodying a top, front and rear leg units carried on the underside of the top and swingable outwardly therefrom to an open position, a guideway mounted on the under surface of the top, a slide member mounted on the guideway and connected to one of said leg units,

means for rigidly locking the leg units in their open position including a first latching member mounted on said slide, a second latching member mounted on the under surface of the top and engageable with said first latching member when the leg structure is in its fully opened position, and a manually operable means pivotally connected to one of said members and supported by said pivotal connection for movement only in a plane parallel with the guideway to disengage said one latching member from the other latching member to permit the leg units to swingably move in the direction of the top.

12. In an ironing table having a folding leg structure, a slide connected with the leg structure and positioned on the under surface of the table, said slide being longitudinally movable along the under surface of said table when the leg structure is moved between its folded and unfolded positions, a locking mechanism cooperable with said slide for locking the slide when the leg structure is in an unfolded position which comprises a hook member pivotally mounted on the slide, a latch member engageable with said hook member, said latch member being mounted on the under surface of said table, and a manually operable means positioned on the under surface of said table and connected to one of said members, said means being operable upon movement in a longitudinal direction of the table to disengage one of said members from the other member to permit movement of the leg structure to a folded position.

13. An ironing table embodying a top, spaced apart front and rear leg units pivoted to and swingable downwardly from said top, means for rigidly locking said leg units in their downwardly swung position including a guideway mounted on the under surface of the top, a slide mounted on the guideway and connected to one of said leg units, a first member pivotally mounted on said slide, a second member engageable in locking relationship with said first member, said second member being mounted on the under surface of the top, and a manually operable means connected to one of said members for moving said memher with relation to the other member in such a manner as to disengage said members whereby the leg units may be swung upwardly in the direction of the top.

KEMUEL B. OLANDER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 225,352 DeMott Mar. 9, 1880 1,568,980 Kohn Jan. 12, 1926 1,912,126 Corduan May 30, 1933 2,057,108 Olander Oct. 13, 1936 2,332,927 Miller Oct. 26, 1943 

